Connect with us

Technology

Waton Financial Launches MoTA Alpha, Marking Full Strategic Pivot to AI-Native Finance

Published

on

HONG KONG, June 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Waton Financial Limited (NASDAQ: WTF) today announced the release of MoTA Alpha, a major upgrade to its flagship AI-powered investment platform. First unveiled in closed beta in May 2026, MoTA (Manager of Trading Agents) now introduces the Agent Talents Market, a creator ecosystem for third-party AI trading agents, alongside a redesigned multi-agent collaboration workflow and a fully overhauled user experience. The Alpha release represents more than a product milestone — it signals Waton’s decisive transition from a securities brokerage and SaaS provider into an AI-native financial technology company.

MoTA Alpha: What’s New

MoTA Alpha builds on the beta’s foundation as an AI-native investment team workbench — a platform that enables professional investors and portfolio managers to assemble, manage, and supervise teams of specialized AI agents across research, analysis, risk, and execution functions within a structured, auditable workflow, with mandatory human review and final sign-off at every stage.

Three headline upgrades define this release:

Agent Talents Market
An open marketplace where third-party developers can create, publish, and rank AI trading agents. Users subscribe to or deploy agents built by independent creators, with all agents running on Waton’s infrastructure. Agent’s internal logic remains under creator control; Waton provides the platform layer and execution environment.

Enhanced Multi-Agent Collaboration
A rebuilt task orchestration layer that improves inter-agent communication, role assignment, and decision audit trails. The result is a workflow that mirrors the dynamics of a real investment team — each agent operates within its mandate, escalates to human supervisors where required, and maintains a complete, reviewable log.

Redesigned Interface
A significantly improved user experience that preserves MoTA’s distinctive 8-bit pixel-art visual identity — a deliberate departure from the blue-and-white minimalism that dominates fintech — while increasing information density and operational speed for professional workflows.

The Strategic Pivot

MoTA Alpha represents the clearest demonstration yet of Waton’s evolution from a financial infrastructure provider into an AI-native product company.

Since its NASDAQ listing in April 2025, Waton has positioned itself as the world’s first publicly traded AI agent holding company. Yet its revenue base has remained rooted in traditional securities brokerage and Broker Cloud SaaS solutions serving institutional clients in Hong Kong. MoTA Alpha changes that equation: AI is no longer a narrative layer on top of an existing brokerage business — it is now a tangible, independently monetizable product line.

The company is structuring itself around a “brokerage infrastructure + AI application” dual-engine model. This is a meaningfully different profile from either pure-play online brokers or conventional fintech SaaS firms, positioning Waton closer to the emerging category of AI-native financial platforms.

Financial Foundation

According to Waton’s unaudited financial results for the first half of fiscal year 2026 (six months ended September 30, 2025), total revenues rose 106.3% year-on-year to $6.10 million, driven by a 223.1% increase in brokerage and commission income to $4.17 million. Cash and segregated cash stood at $29.88 million, with total assets of $68.98 million.

Notably, the company reported research and development expenses as a standalone line item for the first time ($0.39 million in H1 FY2026), alongside significant share-based compensation tied to AI product development. MoTA Alpha is the first scaled output of this R&D pipeline.

Management Commentary

“The Alpha release of MoTA marks Waton’s evolution from a financial technology services provider to an AI-era infrastructure and product company,” said Zhou Kai (Tony Zhou), Chairman and Chief Technology Officer of Waton Financial. “We are not building a chatbot for trading. We are building a platform where professional investors manage teams of AI agents — each with defined roles, clear accountability, and human oversight. The Agent Talents Market extends this further: MoTA transitions from a product into an ecosystem.”

Roadmap

Following the Alpha release, Waton expects to open MoTA to public beta testing in Q3 2026. The platform currently supports Hong Kong and U.S. equity markets, with digital asset coverage on the product roadmap. MoTA is available as a standalone application at m.mota.ai and integrates with Waton’s existing brokerage and TradingWTF infrastructure.

For investors tracking $WTF, MoTA Alpha serves as the first real test of whether the “AI agent holding company” thesis translates from corporate positioning into a durable commercial model.

Media Contact

https://www.wtf.us

https://www.mota.ai 

About Waton Financial Limited

Waton Financial Limited (NASDAQ: WTF) is the world’s first NASDAQ-listed AI agent holding company, dedicated to discovering, creating, investing in, and incubating AI agents that work for people. Its flagship product, MoTA (Manager of Trading Agent), enables professional investors to build, manage, and supervise teams of specialized AI agents within a structured, human-supervised workflow. The company also empowers global brokerage firms and financial institutions through Broker Cloud + SaaS + AI digital solutions. Learn more at https://wtf.us.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/waton-financial-launches-mota-alpha-marking-full-strategic-pivot-to-ai-native-finance-302812548.html

SOURCE Waton Financial Limited

Continue Reading

Technology

CHiQ at IFA 2026: From Global Expansion to Deeper Local Engagement

Published

on

By

BERLIN, Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At IFA Berlin on September 4, CHiQ unveiled its new AI-powered home appliance range, covering TVs, refrigerators, air conditioners, and washer-dryer combos. Rather than emphasizing technical specifications in isolation, the brand demonstrated how AI integrates into real-life household routines, marking a shift from technological innovation to everyday experiences and reflecting parent company Changhong’s continued focus on localization across global markets.

To address diverse household needs, CHiQ is embedding AI into a growing number of everyday scenarios. Its RGB MiniLED AI TV lineup integrates an integrated AI Sports Platform, transforming the TV from a traditional display into an interactive hub for home fitness and shared activities. The air conditioner features AI Human Presence Radar, which detects users’ locations and habits to adjust airflow dynamically. Meanwhile, the AI-powered refrigerator and laundry care system employ intelligent sensing and monitoring to help users take a more proactive approach to managing food freshness and garment cleanliness.

On IFA’s opening day, Grundig, CHiQ’s strategic partner and a premium European home appliance brand, presented a new product lineup across TVs, refrigerators, washer-dryers, and air conditioners. This showcase represents a further extension of Grundig’s brand development and product strategy and points to a new direction for Grundig in European and global markets.

In recent years, CHiQ’s focus has centered on simplifying everyday household chores through smart innovation. The brand has introduced a virtual giant panda as an AI interactive assistant, adding warmth and personality to its smart TVs and other AI-enabled appliances while naturally incorporating distinctive elements of Chinese culture into the user experience.

Skiing has also become another bridge connecting CHiQ with European lifestyles. Over the same period, the brand has strengthened its European presence as an official data partner of the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup. These efforts have deepened CHiQ’s connections with consumers in Europe and around the world. At the same time, the brand incorporates the speed of skiing and the pristine character of winter sports into its products, bringing technology closer to users’ lifestyles.

Behind these initiatives lies a broader shift: CHiQ is advancing its localization efforts. From product experiences and brand messaging to sports, culture and other aspects of local life, the company is establishing more diverse touchpoints as it expands its presence in Europe. Moving beyond simply entering overseas markets toward becoming part of them, CHiQ is bringing its global expansion into closer alignment with the local markets it serves.

About CHiQ

CHiQ, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of consumer electronics and household appliances, is redefining industry standards with innovative products, intelligent technologies, and a growing commitment to corporate social responsibility. Its influence continues to grow across global markets, especially in Europe.

SOURCE CHiQ

Continue Reading

Technology

New Poll: Parents Overwhelmingly Support the Agreement Between the States & Meta To Keep Young People Safe Online

Published

on

By

More Than Four-in-Five Parents Want Other Platforms Such As TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat to Adopt Safeguards

WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Coalition to Empower our Future (CEF) today released new research finding overwhelming support among parents nationwide for the recent agreement between states across the country and Meta to strengthen protections for young people online and give parents additional tools to support their children. The findings show that parents not only support the agreement, but also want other social media platforms to follow Meta’s lead and implement similar protections so young people have consistent safeguards across platforms.

“Parents want practical tools that help them keep their kids safe online, and they want those tools no matter what platform their kids are on,” said Glen Weiner, executive director of the Coalition to Empower our Future. “This agreement is an important step forward that will help protect young people using Instagram and Facebook, but kids don’t spend all their time on one platform. To continue making progress, other social media platforms need to join these efforts and adopt the same policies. There’s no single solution to the challenges young people are facing, but giving parents more tools and helping young people build healthier habits with technology are important pieces of a broader, comprehensive approach.”

According to the survey, more than four-in-five parents across the country support the agreement between the states and Meta, including 82 percent of Democratic parents and 84 percent of Republican parents. Other key findings include:

Parents believe the new safety measures will have a positive impact on youth mental health, including expanded parental controls (82 percent), daily screen-time limits (80 percent), and muting notifications during school hours (77 percent) and overnight (76 percent).Overwhelming majorities of parents on both sides of the aisle want other platforms to adopt the same policies. More than four-in-five say other platforms should implement the same online safety measures, including 85 percent of Democratic parents and 86 percent of Republican parents.

Support is similarly strong when parents are asked about individual platforms, including:TikTok (85 percent);YouTube (84 percent); andSnapchat (82 percent).Parents want policymakers to take action. Four-in-five parents (80 percent) would support their state legislature putting these online safety measures into law, and more than two-thirds of parents (67 percent) would be more likely to vote for an elected official who advances these measures.

The new findings build on previous research from CEF showing that parents and voters want a comprehensive approach to youth mental health that gives families practical tools and teaches young people how to navigate technology safely and responsibly.

The full research findings can be found HERE.

The research, conducted between August 28 and August 31, 2026, in partnership with Mercury Analytics, included an online survey of 1,000 parents nationwide.

About the Coalition to Empower our Future

Coalition to Empower our Future is an organization bringing together a range of voices to fully inform solutions that empower youth, parents, communities, and society. The Coalition to Empower our Future supports solutions that are inclusive of the full spectrum of factors impacting youth mental health. Former Montana Governor Steve Bullock, former U.S. Representative Carlos Curbelo, and Dr. Caroline Carney, a board-certified psychiatrist and internist, serve on the board of directors of the Coalition to Empower our Future.

To learn more, visit empowerourfuturecoalition.com or follow Coalition to Empower our Future on Facebook, X and YouTube.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-poll-parents-overwhelmingly-support-the-agreement-between-the-states–meta-to-keep-young-people-safe-online-302870113.html

SOURCE Coalition to Empower our Future

Continue Reading

Technology

Bybit On-Chain Earn Raises BTC Staking Yield by 50% to 1.2% APR

Published

on

By

DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 4, 2026 /CNW/ — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, is pleased to announce Bybit On-Chain Earn has partnered with Function (FBTC) to upgrade its BTC staking Vault product, raising the guaranteed annualized return from 0.8% to as much as 1.2%, a 50% increase of the evergreen offering.  With Bybit, BTC holders no longer need to sit on their idle asset as they navigate a range-bound BTC.

In early September 2026, BTC has been consolidating around the $80,000 level after rebounding from roughly $62,600 in August and briefly climbing above $81,000 in late August. The cryptocurrency continues to hold above its key moving averages, encouraging many long-term holders to maintain their position.

Bybit On-Chain Earn‘s new BTC staking solution comes with a guaranteed minimum return, distinguishing it from variable-rate products where yield fluctuates with market conditions. Eligible users may subscribe to a fixed 45-day term with no option for early redemption. A subscription cap of 200 BTC applies. Upon maturity, participants can opt into automatic renewal, allowing both principal and accrued returns to roll seamlessly into the next staking cycle without requiring manual reinvestment. This structure is designed to give BTC holders a straightforward way to generate yield on idle holdings while maintaining predictable, fixed-term commitments.

The partnership with Function, the protocol behind FBTC, extends Bybit’s collaboration with the DeFi and TradFi convergence space, diversifying user access to potential yield opportunities across the digital asset landscape.

The upgraded exclusive BTC vault is now live on Bybit. Terms and conditions apply. Users may visit Bybit On-Chain Earn for details on eligibility requirements and potential restrictions.

#Bybit  / #NewFinancialPlatform

About Bybit

Bybit is The New Financial Platform.

We believe every person should have access to every financial opportunity on earth. That’s why we’re building the first intelligent platform that connects anyone, anywhere to the world’s finance.

Trusted by more than 80 million users worldwide, Bybit brings together investing, trading, payments, and wealth-building in a single secure and intelligent ecosystem. Through the combination of AI-powered technology, deep global liquidity, robust security, and transparent operations, Bybit makes global finance more accessible, efficient, and empowering for everyone.

Built for everyone. Powered by intelligence. Open to the world.

Learn more at Bybit.com

For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press
For media inquiries, please contact: media@bybit.com
For updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media

Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bybit-on-chain-earn-raises-btc-staking-yield-by-50-to-1-2-apr-302870204.html

SOURCE Bybit

Continue Reading

Trending